Google Unveils Gmail Go Low-End Devices On Android 8.1 Oreo

Google has launched the lightweight Gmail Go app for Android 8.1 devices (via FoneArena). The app is the latest in a recent lineup of Google apps aimed at low-end smartphones, and should now be showing up in the Google Play Store for such devices.

Like Gboard Go, YouTube Go and Maps Go, the Gmail Go app is optimized for devices with low-RAM and storage space. The app package itself comes in at a slim 9.51 MB—compared to about 20 MB for the normal app—and should also take up less space once installed.

Back in 2017, Google introduced a couple of apps that targeted users with low end smartphones. These apps include Google Assistant Go, YouTube Go and Files Go just to name a few. The apps have been available in most developing markets including Kenya since them as most users in such markets cannot afford high performing devices.

Google isn’t done with this as the company has just introduced Gmail Go for users with low end devices. Low end smartphones here refer to devices with 1GB of RAM or less. Gmail Go is available from the Play Store but not all users in all countries can download it. At the moment, availability is limited to a few countries but this will be changing soon. Before you start looking for it, just know that it can only be downloaded on devices running Android 8.1 Oreo.

Gmail Go is not that different from the standard Gmail for Android app. It does everything that app does but uses less RAM and loads images on demand. This is the main reason why Google releases such apps. The company wants people to use it products, even those who do not have the luxury of unlimited data and want to save some data anyway they can.

If you install Gmail Go, you should know that to uninstall it you will have to do so from the Play Store and not the way you are used to uninstalling apps.